Press Releases

The Chief Minister requested that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issue the execution-level approval so that the awarded works can begin, with the removal of flight-path obstacles proceeding alongside. The State is bearing the cost of clearing these obstacles, including about ₹150 crore for the relocation of Umden Mission Village, and has reaffirmed this commitment before the High Court of Meghalaya.

For the Garo Hills, the State has asked AAI to take over and operate Baljek Airport at Tura as a full AAI airport on an as-is-where-is basis, offering to deposit the estimated project cost of ₹63.67 crore upfront. The airport is proposed to be developed in phases, beginning with 19-seater aircraft and moving to ATR-72 and A320 operations. The Chief Minister sought its sanction under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN), with reimbursement of the deposited amount once the project is approved.

Two heliports at Shillong and Tura have already been sanctioned and are under construction. The State has identified nine further sites at district headquarters and tourist destinations, and sought sanction for at least two of them under RCS-UDAN along with feasibility studies for all.

Following the successful seaplane demonstration held at Umiam Lake in November 2024, the State also sought the sanction of a water aerodrome at Umiam under RCS-UDAN and the preparation of a detailed project report, proposing Umiam as one of the five water aerodromes that AAI has been mandated to develop